Pillow Talk
by Tess 4 5
Summary: MISTAKE NOW FIXED - Detectives Lynley and Havers have another case outside of London, with another rental car, in another hotel. We know the inevitable.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's usual notes and disclaimer:** I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC. I have borrowed the characters from the TV-Show and solely own the ideas of _my_ stories and the developments _I've_ let them go through.

Please write a **P** rivate **M** essage if I did something terribly wrong so I can fix it. Thanks!

Please read and review! More thanks!

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 **Sorry!** Had to **delete** it and **re-write** parts of the first chapter because there was a trerrible illogicality in it. (Does that word exist? ;-) ) A **BIG THANKS to Cats** for pointing that out!

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 **Author's note and summary:** I've been cruel enough to let you wait so long for another story from here, Cats, so there won't be any bloody cliffhangers this time, it's a short story anyway. I've split this only in two parts _plus_. Detectives Lynley and Havers have another case outside of London, with another rental car, in another hotel. We know the inevitable. Enjoy this...

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 **Pillow Talk  
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They drove on a narrow line of black asphalt, meandering through and across the soft hills, slightly brownish, dotted with red golden trees and honeycombed with grey walls. Sheep slowly trotted from the warm street, knowing very well that the car would not be able to go with full speed here in the cattle grid enclosed area of traffic. Water puddles, remnants of the heavy rainfall around noon, still glistened in the sun. Here and there small patches of still white powder-frosted grass in the shadows of bushes or walls were proof that winter was coming soon.

"Although it seems I'm only coming here to solve a crime it's so endlessly beautiful in Yorkshire." she sighed.

He slightly chuckled and nodded his head, keeping his eyes on the treacherous road. "M-hm. Although this part is in Cumbria. But we could spend the next spare weekend-"

"Yah. Clever clogs." she mumbled cutting him short and turning her eyes out of the side window. He knew she was grinning. Unfortunately she did not show any reaction to his offer.

A few minutes later they stopped the car at the crime scene.

* * *

It was a beautiful late afternoon in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The sun sent its last beams through the almost leafless trees and left bizarre shadows on the ground around the Dentdale Viaduct. DI Tommy Lynley and DS Barbara Havers produced clouds of breath in the crisp autumn air while they talked. They stood behind the white and blue police line and looked up to the tracks. The broken metal bars of the old rusty handrail up there stood into the air like thin fingers of doom.

"She may not have been dead when she was pushed down." Lynley said. "Has Lafferty called back by now?"

"Nah." Havers shook her head and leaned against the grit container. Her eyes pensively trailed along the drag marks that went into the Dee. Due to quite high levels the body was found near the Angler Inn which was closed at the moment. "But I still have no clue at all why they... or _someone_ dragged her into the water."

Lynley followed the little river with his eyes. Pushing his hands deeper into the pockets of his coat he shrugged. "Probably to wash away every last bit of a trace. Literally."

"Hm."

His eyes went back to his Sergeant. "Are you okay, Barbara?"

"As okay as one can feel with a damaged ankle, Sir." she grunted. "Can we get back to Sedbergh? I'm cold, tired and feel a grumpy mood rising because I'm also starving. Despite the fact how beautiful it is in _Cumbria_."

"Of course we can." Lynley smiled when Barbara rejected his offered arm and hobbled to their car on her own. Once more he watched her back. Apparently Barbara had not expected the cold up here in the North being so severe at that time of the year. She only had a short but fortunately lined denim jacket. She should have brought her old parka but this way he could enjoy seeing her very female figure in quite tight trousers. Recently Tommy Lynley, the 8th Earl of Asherton, had recovered that there had been a very beautiful woman right under his nose for years. His colleague and sergeant, a woman he was befriended with, and maybe even more, but although he feared that he had fallen in love with her he usually tried not to think about this unthinkable connection. Barbara never would approve of it. He had to respect that. He was her boss, her friend, her very good friend in fact, but nothing more. She did not even call him by his given name. It still was-

"Sir? Would you finally mind open the door?" she impatiently asked. "Or is there anything else?"

Tommy sighed. No, she would not approve of his feelings for her. "Coming."

* * *

With the well known _blibbip_ the car doors opened after Tommy had pressed the button on the key to the modern rental car and Barbara quickly entered. Once more she wondered where the thoughts of her boss have wandered. The detectives were on an off-home investigation and he constantly fell behind when they walked somewhere, he constantly seemed thousands of miles away when she was talking to him and he constantly gave weird answers. In one word - he constantly hesitated with anything. It was not good for her own state of confusion. She was trying hard not to constantly think of him sleeping next door in the B &B they live at. She suppressed every upcoming jealousy about him just being nice with the landlady. Seriously, she was at least twenty years older than Lynley! But she actually could not deny that, after a few years of getting to know and learning to cope with each other's moods and flaws, the crush she once had for her boss had turned into a deep fondness. She would not want to work with anybody else and would not like to miss the regular pint or dinner after work. Even their ridiculous attempts of showing each other what they like, such as football or cricket matches, movies or theatre plays, things that normal friends do, were odd but undeniable wonderful. It always seemed that even he had liked it. And if she was true to herself, it probably was not only fondness she felt for him. She sighed.

"Oh, drat it!" Tommy cursed and pulled Barbara from her thoughts. She turned her eyes away from the wet street and saw him pushing buttons and the signs on the screen of the futuresk dash board.

"What is it? Why don't you start the stupid car?" she asked him.

"Computer says no." Tommy replied and gave her a desperate look. "We should have come here with my own."

Barbara chuckled. He could not possibly be watching Little Britain, could he?

"What's so funny, Sergeant?"

Barbara just looked away with a grin and a shake of her head. "Nothing, Sir. I'll call the AA."

While he was trying other combinations of the start button and the key pad the information on the little monitor still said 'device not working' and the car won't start. Eventually Tommy shouted at the small monitor. "It's obvious, you stupid thing!"

"I can get no signal." Barbara murmured.

Tommy finally let his head bump onto the steering wheel. For a while there was silence. Barbara chewed on the insides of her cheek and then, his forehead still resting where it was, he counted the possible solutions to their problem.

"We could not sit here and wait for the next car to drive by. The road is closed due to the incident, so there probably will be none. We could not call for help. We could not walk because you're limp."

"Well, thank you."

Apologetic he looked up. "Sorry, Barbara, I didn't mean to be rude." She just smiled and nodded. "I'm not leaving you here and walk to the next house on my own so I guess the only way to get us out of here is you steering the wheel and I'm pushing the car."

"Are you crazy? It's..." She waved a hand through the air. "Well, _miles_ to the next house."

"You know it isn't 'miles' and we'll probably get a signal somewhere so we could call someone. Of course we couldn't get back over the pass to Fledger Head Farm but the road through the valley-"

"Dale." Barbara corrected him.

"What?" His irritated look amused her. She loved it when she was able to do that.

"It's called Dent _dale_." she chuckled.

"Oh, please..." Lynley shook his head but the smile crept onto his lips anyway. "The road through this _glen_ -" The smile had turned into a cheeky grin when he said the Scottish name. "is mostly downhill so it won't be too hard for me."

It was in fact their only option but it was not as easy as Lynley had described it. There were more uphill parts than he remembered and they did not get a signal for their mobiles until they almost were through the hamlet of Cowgill. All houses they passed were for sale or nobody was at home there, and the camping site already was closed for winter, so, with a few short breaks for Tommy and the unsuccessful attempt from Barbara to push the car for a while, they had to get through almost the entire valley until they finally reached Dent in the middle of the night.

* * *

They parked the car on the side of the street right after passing Church Bridge and before the road went up again. The night had become very dark and cold by now and Lynley hurried up the street to the first pub. Barbara slowly followed. The Lancer and Beast already was closed but there was a no vacancies sign anyway and everything Tommy wanted right now was to have a shower and a bed. Past the fountain and up the cobbled street he knew of the Moon Inn. There was still light coming from out of the windows. It winged hope that they would at least find a place to sleep at for tonight. First thing in the morning would be calling the AA to get that car going.

Tommy entered the pub. Two heads immediately turned to him - the usual ones. The bartender though did not look up at all.

"Sorry, we're closed." he said not stopping turning off the nozzles from the pumps. The other two men kept drinking their beers.

"Well, actually I was just-" he could not finish his sentence. Tommy's clear accent made the bartender look up. Tommy's appearance made him cry out in mild shock.

"Lord Jesus! What have you done?" he asked and finally Tommy looked down at his own front. His good jacket and trousers and the fine leather shoes were almost completely covered in mud and dirt. Everything was quite wet but that was no wonder. Twice he fell when the car went faster than he could follow. And when he ran after it or ran pushing the car he ran through a lot of puddles on the sides of the street. The car itself splashed grit, water and dirt on him, not to mention the ignorant and rather fast Landrover that dashed past them without stopping and offering help.

"Goodness gracious!" the dirty DI groaned. "I'm sorry I drip onto your floor, Sir, and I really don't want a beer, I just-"

"Come on, man, you rather look like you need something stronger anyway." The amber liquid already was poured into the tumbler. With a thankful expression Tommy had just put the glass to his lips when the door opened again and Barbara limped inside.

"Oh, brilliant." she groaned. "I thought you were looking for some accomodation, but no, you're enjoying yourself with a booze."

Tommy startled but had to grin when the man behind the bar bent over to him and conspiratively murmured. "Your wife is rather unamused, hm?" Louder he addressed Barbara. "Evening, Ma'am. You've had an accident? Take a seat."

"Evenin'. Well, no, I broke my leg a few weeks ago. Thank you."

Before he turned to his Sergeant Tommy rolled his eyes and winked at the bar man. "Barbara, I just got in here. And I was offered this whisky because-"

"Bloody hell, you're dirty!" Barbara cut him short.

Now that everybody had recognised how miserable he looked Tommy finally had the chance to explain who they were, why they were here and what had caused his muddy state. And then he finally was able to ask the bartender, who had introduced himself as Martin, if the Moon Inn had some vacancies. They were in luck, there was one room still vacant, but when Tommy asked if it was a twin or a double room Barbara cringed at the answer.

"Well, double of course."

"And no couch, I guess?"

"No couch, sorry." Martin apologised. Then his face lit up. "But we have a suite in the attic. It's a bit more expensive but you could have your own room. Anyway, if the Met covers the costs... We seldomly let it, and I have to put clean sheets on the bed, but you could have it, if you wait until I've finished here. See ya, Oliver." He nodded at the leaving guest.

"Y'should grab the chance, boy." Oliver, one of the old men at the bar, the last to leave, mumbled to Tommy while he left the Inn shaking his head in disbelief. Tommy's ears turned slightly red. Of course he had thought about the possibility of sharing a bed with Barbara but she obviously would not approve of it.

While he weighed the opportunities the door dashed open and a hiker came in.

"Evening." he groaned and plonked down on the next chair. "I hope you have a room for me."

"Is this a beehive or what?" Martin grumbled less angry than one would think. "I'm sorry, I've just let the remaining rooms to these people here, Sir. You're a bit too late. And before you ask, the tap's closed too."

Tommy watched the man with the big rucksack and the dirty boots who looked exhausted, almost as dirty as he himself and now disappointment and a hint of panic started to appear in his face too. In Tommy there only was hope rising that he would still be able to share at least a room with Barbara. "There must be a couch in the suite, Martin. I suppose Ms Havers wouldn't mind sharing a room with me and that gentleman looks as if he's as much in difficulties as we are. Or even more."

A brief glance at Barbara who nodded slightly but still also rolled her eyes gave Tommy the answer that she agreed.

"Been caught by that rain around noon," the gentleman explained and introduced himself as Steve. "and then I lost the way up there, across the heather fields. Again in the small wood where the path is lost under a landslide. I really could do with a shower and a soft bed."

"So?" Tommy addressed Martin. All three now looked at the bartender. He finally sighed and shook his head. "I'm too good for this world. Yes, there is a sofa in the suite and yes, one can sleep on it."

Tommy nodded with a smug smile. "Well, then yes, we'd like to have the suite and yes, this gentleman can have the room."

* * *

They had a bed for the night, the pub was cosy so the suite surely would be too, and seeing that Barbara had taken a seat right next to the fire the dirty DI at last went to the Gents to clean up his clothes. Steve already had heaved himself and the rucksack up the stairs and to his room after finishing the formalities.

"Do you mind selling me a bottle of beer? And maybe there's still some snack available?" Barbara smiled politely. The prospect of sleeping on a couch instead of sharing a bed with her boss soothed her nerves. All the way here it has run around in her head that they probably had to share a room, which they had to in the end, and it really had been irritating when she recognised that she actually would love to even share the bed and cuddle close to him under one duvet. All under the pretense of bad circumstances of course. But at the same time this prospect and more so her delight at the thought of it also was frightening her to the core.

"I guess a bag of crisps would be too less for you, huh? Ah, I'm in fact too good for this world." Martin winked at Barbara. "I'll go and put some of the hot pot leftovers into the microwave." He already was halfway into the kitchen. "Nobody should be able to complain about the Moon Inn's hospitality."

* * *

Just when the microwave pinged Tommy returned. In silence the two detectives ate and had their beer. When they finished Martin came down again and gave them the key and Tommy filled in the form. "You don't have any luggage?"

"Well, we're at a B&B in Sedbergh." Barbara replied a bit sharper than intended. "And of course there's our luggage." She just realised that they would have to sleep in their underwear and maybe T-shirt. It was scaring her to think about the next day, let alone the evening in that room, so close together with so little covering clothes. Tommy was thinking about the same but it did not bother him as much. In fact he looked forward to have a few secret peeks at her beautiful body. He felt a bit ashamed so he diverted his guilty eyes towards the bar.

"I've seen you wearing a shirt with the moon on it. Don't you have those shirts for sale? In huge size so we would have some nightwear?" Tommy's ridiculous suggestion made Barbara snort a laugh but she liked that idea. Smugly her boss grinned at her. He liked it too.

"There are two in XXXL." After he had rummaged through a shelf Martin returned to the table next to the dying fire and waved something colourful. "Unfortunately we only have one in purple and one in pink."

It would not be seen by anybody else so that was no problem at all. While Martin finally finished cleaning up the bar Barbara had another beer and Tommy indulged in another whisky, this time of higher quality. Then he paid their meal and drinks and the room in advance before they headed up the stairs.

"Bathroom is through the door over there, breakfast will be in the back room downstairs, from 8 to 10. You want full English?" Both nodded. "Just ring the desk bell when you're there. Enjoy your stay."

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Well, here's the next chapter for all of you who like these little get-them-together-stories. Thanks for your support.

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It was a sweetly decorated suite the two detectives entered. With two small lamps the room was only half lit. The ceiling to the attic was removed so the structure of the beams and the pointed gable made a spacious room with three rooflights, where the stars shone through at the moment, white painted natural stone walls and dark varnished wood. On both sides were plain open structure walls. In one was the dark wooden door to the bathroom and above it a white wooden door to some sort of lumber room. A ladder was pinned at the wall next to it. Small coloured rugs on the otherwise dark brown carpet accentuated special places. There was a small round table with two low chairs in one corner and in the other a sofa snuggled into it, prepared to be used as a bed for tonight. A unique mixture of old rural paintings and modern art pictures as well as handcrafted decoration elements graced the walls. A huge TV on a room-dividing beam structure did not try to hide its enormousness. Deeper into the room there was another cosy armchair right next to a book and DVD shelf. It really looked as if this was the living room for Martin if there wasn't the huge bed dominating that part of the room. It was made of dark wood like the rest of the furnishings but it was simple and functional, covered in modern beige sheets, the dark brown counterpane already folded back, a red decoration lining on it highlighting it. There was only one pillow on the couch but three on the bed.

Barbara recognised it immediately. Tommy also had looked around. "Well, I call that romantic."

He was shocked about his own words and quickly looked at Barbara. He feared she would take it the wrong way. Which was, in fact, the right interpretation of his words. If the circumstances would be different they really could spent some wonderful moments in this nice hideaway place here in Cumbria. Barbara did not look at him. She knew he was right. This room was totally romantic even though the additional sheets on the couch indicated something else. And she was sure Tommy did not see it the way she saw it. Nothing like that ever would happen and the day until now had not been overly romantic too.

"Bullshit." she snorted and turned her face so he would not see her blushing. "There's nothing romantic about that day, Sir. I just want to have a snatch of sleep now. I'm tired like hell."

Barbara was sure her boss slouched his shoulders. She took this the wrong way and internally debated if she should give in and let him take her. Just once. Just a single night with him so she would have a wonderful memory to keep in her heart forever. But then she shook her head as if she was trying to get rid of that unwanted thought. Nothing like this ever would happen, they were close friends and friends could share a room without becoming romantic. Full stop.

"And I am not! wearing pink!" she grunted and pulled the purple T-shirt from his hands. "I'm a woman, not a girlie-girl."

"Yes, indeed." The unexpected seriousness of his words made Tommy blush and Barbara startle. He had not intended to sound so honest. He had not even intended to say that at all. Almost apologetic he gave her a lopsided grin while his ears only turned redder but he thought that now it was her turn to pick up the fine thread he had enrolled. Unfortunately Barbara only looked at him with her big green eyes. Tommy would say they showed the same romantic feeling that he felt, and the same tentative restraint and all the fears you could have when you suddenly realise you were in love with the person you know for years. It was all in her eyes, he thought, but he dared not to be sure. Her eyes lacked of the final invitation to give in. Or was he only blind? Mesmerised Tommy kept standing still where he was, looking at her and feeling that he only grinned like a stupid fool.

Barbara could not work with that. She blinked twice and with her fist only clenched tighter around her new ridiculous nightwear she almost stormed through the room straight into the en-suite bathroom. "Be right back." she grunted. The anger she felt was purely towards herself. She told herself she should have given in to the desire to stroke his arm since he was standing so close. She had actually wanted to kiss him and she should have shown that. At least she should have smiled in return.

While she took her time to calm down in the bathroom - which was almost as spacious as the other one - Tommy slipped off his shoes and hung his still wet jacket onto the clothes valet, moved it towards the heater and then debated how he should undress further. If he would be already in his nightwear only, she could be offended by his naked legs. Or be shied away. Or maybe not at all. She was a grown up woman at last and would have seen male legs before. On the other hand he could put on the T-shirt already, so she would not have to witness his bare chest. Not that Tommy would try to hide it, and she already had seen it, and even more of him, but the situation was tensed enough by now. Just when he had changed into his new pink thing Barbara came back in her purple nightgown and still in jeans. It looked as if she had had a similar debate inside the bathroom. They both almost did not look up when they passed each other.

Since Tommy had spent half of the time she had in the bathroom he came back earlier than Barbara had expected. Her nape glowed red while he witnessed how she got rid of her bra, nestling at the clasp with her hands in her back under the T-shirt and then pulling the bra through the sleeve of her shirt. He swallowed but could not look away. Jeans and jumper already were neatly folded on one of the chairs. Somehow Tommy had expected that she would have put them somewhere in the room, anywhere, right at the spot where she had gotten out of them. The smile that had crept into his face stayed there when he put his own folded clothes onto the other chair.

"Well," he croaked and cleared his throat before he went on speaking. "who's sleeping where?"

* * *

Barbara turned and Tommy could not resist shooting a glance at her breasts, now only covered with a thin layer of cloth and not at all in need of something to keep them up. He swallowed again. This was going to become a hard night.

"I'll take the couch, Sir." Barbara suggested. She was blushing deeply now. Not only was she half naked but there were only dangerous thoughts in her mind. Despite the ridiculous things they wore. Her boss in a pink T-shirt from a pub in the Yorkshire Dales. With a stupidly grinning silvery moon on its front. Barbara was glad that her purple shirt had a black print and did not look so weird but all in all it was a ridiculous situation that made her shake her head in disbelief. How many times have they shared the same room after ridiculous incidents or under strange circumstances while they were away from London? She should be used to it by now. Nothing like her silly brain always had imagined had ever happened and so it will be this time. No matter what her stupid mind already started to picture. Anyway, this time it somehow felt different.

"No. You're the Lady. Of course you're sleeping on the bed." Tommy said, emphasising his will to sleep on the couch by folding back the cover on it.

"You know, that's sexist." Barbara answered, her fists akimbo.

"Not at all. Just polite. Chivalrous even." Pumping up his chest and lifting his chin he gave her a grin that made her snort her mock disgust. She grinned anyway. This was going to become interesting.

"No. You're too tall for the couch. I'll sleep there."

"Well, it's quite a long settee."

"But too lathy."

"So you tink I'm blimpy?"

"Not at all!" Barbara was indignant now. "And I didn't say that anyway."

"Anyway you should sleep in the bed. Look, it's queen size, not king size."

"Don't be ridiculous! It's not at all queen size. It's huge!"

"I'm just fair and rational and kings, real warrior kings, do sleep in smaller beds than queens do."

"Tush! And if you look at it rationally you should sleep in the bed because you're the boss."

"In fact _you_ are." His voice was quiet.

Barbara's head jerked up and she gave him a pensive look through narrowed eyes. Apart from his slightly rosy ears his face gave away not the slightest hint of how he could have meant it so she decided he simply meant to call her being bossy. "I'm not, Sir."

Pouting a bit Barbara took her shoes which she had discarded at the entrance door together with her socks and replaced them all well-ordered next to the couch before she tried again to convince him. "Plus _you_ were the one who's had all the exhausting part on our way here. That's why _you_ should sleep in the bed."

"Ah, it was just a slightly harder workout than usual." her boss bragged winking. He earned a raised eyebrow from Barbara.

"And your hair is still wet." she went on underlining her will not to give in by taking the third pillow from the bed. "I only need two." she mumbled.

"That's no reason why I shouldn't sleep on the couch."

"But an indicator for who's had the harder work this evening."

"True. But you have it hard in general at the moment. You're still limp."

"Well, thanks again, Sir."

"Just saying." Again Tommy winked at Barbara. He was enjoying this little banter. He knew he would win. "It's one more reason why _you_ should sleep on the bed."

"I won't!" Barbara said emphasising the last word. She enjoyed it too but that was no reason for him to sleep on the couch. Why could he not understand that? "Don't be so stubborn!" She hit him with the pillow and grinned.

"Ouch!" Tommy rubbed his upper arm but grinned alike. Of course it had not really hurt him. "Are you hitting me?!"

Challenging both looked at each other. "I can hit you again." Barbara said and hit him again. "Sir." she added with a loud laugh. "If this beats some sense into your brain." She hit him on his other arm.

"I can return the favour, if you really want a war." Tommy had grabbed the pillow from the couch and fought back once.

"He!" She growled. Then her pillow hit his left arm again. Tommy's grin only grew wider while he gave her a row of whacks left, right, left. Feathers flew through the air.

Then she was able to beat him again. "I'm going to strangle you with the decoration lining, Sir, if you won't stop."

"Oh, yes please." His pillow striked her hip while she tried to duck away. "That sounds intriguing."

Seeing his juicy grin Barbara blushed. "Cheeky sod!" she mumbled. One single feather slowly fell to the ground between them.

Her next pillow blow did not hit him completely because it had been to unaimed or maybe she just was not concentrated enough now so Tommy was able to grab the cloth and pull at it.

"What now, hm?! Weren't you about to tie me up?" he murmured while he pulled her closer. She did not let go of the pillow. It would mean losing her weapon. It also meant their proximity increased. She watched his grin turning into a tender smile. It paralysed her. In one single second the heat in the room went up.

"Strangle." she said with a husky voice. "I said, I'd _strangle_ you."

Tommy bent forward and picked a downy feather from her tousled hair. "You wouldn't actually do that, would you?" Finally his face was so close she could feel his breath on her face. What happened here? Her eyes grew wide and looked into his similarly amazed dark orbs.

"No." she weakly breathed.

* * *

Suddenly everything was completely different to all the other times they had shared a room. Suddenly it was in fact like she had imagined it to be more than a million times before. Barbara's heart was beating loud against her rib cage and the feather light touch of his hand on her left upper arm involuntarily made her take another step forward. Their eyes restlessly went from right to left and back and down to the other one's lips. Both felt that they had stopped breathing. Before he drowned in the green sea of her eyes Tommy closed his. If she wanted it or not, hers fell shut too. Only one more millimetre and they felt their lips' contact.

A loud knock on the door almost made them dash apart if Tommy would not have pulled her into his arms in that moment.

"We're not yet finished here." he whispered, gently almost warning her to not dare to move away from this spot.

Martin's voice could be heard through the door. "There are some towels on the cabinet just outside your door. Sorry I've forgotten them."

"Thank you, Martin." Tommy answered. He tried hard to sound casual. Barbara would not have been able to say any word at all. She still was shaky from that almost kiss, the slightest touch of his lips on hers. And she still was held firmly in his arms. Tommy would not let go of her. Not now, not ever.

* * *

Tenderly they kept looking at each other. Barbara had a hint of an enchanted smile on her face indicating she was more than content with all this so when the closing of a door at the end of the downstairs corridor broke their reverie Tommy kissed her softly. Once, twice. And feeling her arms around his waist he let his lips finally linger on hers. Their kiss only was slow and soft for a short while. Years of pent up frustration and hidden desire suddenly broke free and soon their kiss became deeper and more powerful. Their tongues played and their bodies eventually started to move against each other unexpectedly excited. When Barbara could not suppress a quiet moan into his mouth Tommy knew this would drift in a certain direction if he would not interrupt it. He was not sure if they were ready for this and he would not want her to think badly of him.

"Stop. Mh..." Her lips recaptured his. "Stop, Barbara!"

Tommy looked into big horrified eyes so he gave her another small sensual kiss to tell her that she should not worry. "I think we should stop here before it goes... any further. I..." He took a deep breath. This was not easy to say but he would not want to let this situation get out of control. Not here, not now, not under these circumstances. "I love you too much and I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage right now. I think-"

His head was pulled down and her lips captured his once more. Barbara had not thought she could act that way but she would not want this to end. Not here, not now, not even under these circumstances.

"Stop thinking, Sir." Barbara panted when she had set him free again. "Or my brain wakes up too. Maybe _I_ want to take advantage? And as long as it looks like a mutual desire I don't care if you truly mirror my love or no-mmmh!"

Now his lips were on hers again with gentle force.

"You love me?" There was so much joy in his voice Barbara could not believe it.

"Of course I do, you stupid." Her boisterous voice almost tripped over. "I have for years!"

Another desirous kiss ended this discussion. Tommy was tempted to move towards the bed and if Barbara would have known that she would have stopped her mind willing him to do just that and manoeuvre them there on her own. This way they stayed where they were until the need for oxygen made them part in the end.

"Oh, gosh, Tommy!" Barbara breathed. Their foreheads bumped.

"Well, it looks as if we both sleep on the couch tonight." he smiled down at her, his hands linked behind her back, their bodies softly swaying. Barbara looked up but only chuckled for a short moment. When Tommy pulled her hips against his again with a slight pressure of his hands onto her behind she sharply inhaled and watched him with positively shocked eyes. She knew tonight they would not need the couch at all. Her face blushed.

* * *

"First I should use the bathroom again." Barbara mumbled and wound herself out of his arms. Reluctantly Tommy let her go. Their hands were the last parts that lost contact but before they did Tommy moved her fingers to his lips and kissed them softly.

"I'll warm the sheets for you." he whispered. That romantic gesture and also his seductively murmured words made her blush even deeper. Once more she realised that she had turned into a puddle of jelly under his eyes. Like she often did. Only this time she would not need to cover it up.

In front of the mirror above the sink Barbara did not really dare to look at herself. She knew she was blushing. She knew she was beaming and grinning. She looked forward to a night with Tommy Lynley. Maybe this would be their only night but she did not care. She would let this night end wherever it should and just take everything it would offer. Suddenly her head shot up and in the mirror Barbara saw two big surprised eyes. Finally it had sunken in that Tommy had said he loved her and this made her give a short disbelieving laugh at her reflection.

* * *

Curious as she was she opened the cabinet behind it and found stuff for a hotel room. Still packed tooth brushes, small toothpaste tubes, mouth rinse in small bottles, little pieces of soap, aspirin and paracetamol as well as - and here her heart skipped a beat - condoms. She grinned, decided they just came in handy, checked the date, took one and tried to calm her nerves by brushing her teeth with one of the new toothbrushes as slowly as she was able to.

When she finally returned into the bedroom Barbara found Tommy on the bed, the duvet only half pulled up, his hands behind his head, his eyes closed. He was snoring. It had taken her too long in the bathroom. Tommy was fast asleep already.

For a brief moment Barbara watched him sleeping. He looked contented and calm. A peaceful look she had not seen on his face for years, if ever. It was a soothing view - strange and familiar at the same time and, surprising her when the recognition hit her, it felt as if this was meant to be. Her eyes fell onto her pillow lying next to him. Picking up a feather from the floor she pensively looked at the couch she had been about to sleep on tonight. No, she would not sleep there tonight. She smiled in disbelief what was happening here. Then she tossed the small silver foil package onto the night stand, let the feather float to the ground and climbed in bed next to him. Still hesitating to completely snuggling into Tommy's side, although she dearly wanted to, she was dispensed from the decision in the end when he turned and snaked his arm around her waist without really waking up. Fortunately he had stopped snoring since his face now was so close to hers she could feel him breathing. Their noses almost brushed and his breath was warm in her face. Barbara tentatively kissed his soft lips but he showed no more reaction than a soft nudge in reply. He was really sleeping and did not wake up from her touch. With a deep sigh Barbara settled into her pillow and relaxed into Tommy's arms. Lying like this she immediately fell asleep.

No, tonight they really did not need the couch at all.

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 **A/N:** There may be a little treat for some of you ;-)


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